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Che Taylor Shooting: Inquest Starts with all White Jury

Che Taylor Shooting: Inquest Starts with all White Jury

Or why the Attorney representing an SPD Officer ironically says “We do want to maintain a diverse jury”

By The Charlette Report

Che Taylor

Monday was the start of the first day of the Inquest into the Che Taylor Shooting and it would be the first time the family of Che would be in same room with the two Seattle Police Officers who shot and killed Che in the Wedgwood neighborhood of Seattle.

Che Taylor, a 46 year old father was fatally shot within seconds after raising his hands, lowering himself to the ground and appearing to comply with officer commands on Feb. 21, 2016.

Honorable Judge Janet Garrow will be presiding over the Che Taylor inquest which could last for the next three days. Today would start with Judge Garrow welcoming in twenty potential jurors to the surprise of those in attendance. Sixteen white males (with one who appeared to be of Asian background) and four white women. All white, white white…(Black Lives Matter feel free to comment).

Alhough the inquest involves just fact finding and is not a trial or indictment there are still questions remaining on why a gun was never identified, retrieved or identified with a tag on the passenger floorboard at the scene. A gun that was claimed by Officer Chuck Miller to be partially visible through an open door in a statement and sketch he would subsequently submit thirteen days later to the investigative team.

Indeed, if the officers felt their lives were in danger, questions arise why the alleged life threatening gun was never located at the scene along with the other labeled evidence….but this is an inquest, not a civil trial so..

Questions also arose by both representing attorneys as to which fire engine had arrived first on the scene perhaps addressing a recently disclosed longer video of the shooting scene showing officers did not administer CPR or attempt first aid for seven minutes until the Fire Dept. arrived.

A discussion also developed as to what evidence the officers knew about Che Taylor prior to the shooting and what is relevant to the officer’s’decision making process.

Questioning the Investigators

There were also disagreements between parties in calling Officer Corbin and Capt. Teeter Investigating FIT officers to testify stating by James Bible who is representing the Che Taylor family “I don’t see the harm”. Opposing Atty. Buck objected saying their testimony “has nothing to do with direct observations of facts”.

Bible would point out that Det. Corbin was new to the Force Investigative Team (FIT) as this was his first investigation and would depend on the senior members. Det. Corbin’s duty would have been to walk through the secured scene and place placards next to evidence. Questions arise to why a placard was never placed by the alleged gun at the scene given weight to the belief the gun may have been a plant. Any photos of the passanger seat inside the car at the scene have not been disclosed yet by SPD.

Brenda Taylor, wife of Che Taylor talks to media

An All White Jury given a Black Lives Matter Question

Judge Garrow asked the jury pool “Do you have any strong feeling about the phrase or movement “Black Lives Matter”? to a few gasps in the back of the room. (I was in the back of the room sitting next to a Black Lives Matter member.) Whispers of “That’s a racist question” were heard. Did Judge Garrow ask that question? She did. Risky or genius, it would elicit a general response from a juror on their feelings and stance on the movement and racial tensions that have emerged from the slew of police shootings against African Americans across the nation.

Indeed the responses were confident and clear from the potential jurors:
“I’m with you guys, certainly there are areas of this country that are not well behaved”
“Agree”
“I strongly endorse Black Lives Movement”
“I’ve heard of it, I understand what’s behind it…I understand the challenging “All Lives Matter”, I respect everybody’s life.
“Believe All Lives Matter. “
“Yup, I stand”
“Long time Comin”
“Certainly I’ve heard. I agree”
“Yes heard and I agree”
“Yes and I agree with the cause”
“Yes and yes”

Judge Garrow would ask if there was anyone who had any adverse feelings, none replied and Judge Garrow would confirm all the jury pool was generally supportive of BLM.

Genius.

One female juror was brought back for further questioning for her views on Black Lives Matter in which she mentioned she had attended two BLM rallies as a supporter. Judge Garrow would courteously ask the juror several more questions including if she could be “truly impartial” to this inquest much to the anger of Atty James Bible who very emotionally said it was hard for him to listen to this line of questioning. Bible felt this juror was being “singled out” and told Judge Garrow “I’m sorry but this IS a race issue” in contrast as to why the other jurors would have not have been questioned on “who they hung out with”.
After a conference over by the judge’s bench, the female juror was agreed to be kept in the jury pool and the Attorney representing Officer Spaulding would comment “We want to maintain a diverse jury” in what was well….already an all white jury.

When asked about strong feelings about police, several jurors would comment on the positive experiences they have had such as getting out of a traffic ticket by an officer as an example Some attendees in the courtroom questioned if the level of white jurors could even comprehend the experiences of an African American who are typically stopped by police, ticketed and incur a higher percentage of incarceration and harassment than whites.

One comment from KT, an attendee in the courtroom regarding the all white jury.

“I think it’s total bullshit. I can’t believe it. This whole process is f^cked and very strategic on behalf of the city”.

Interesting Question – Trained to Read Minds?

An interesting question the jurors were given was “Do you believe an officer has a unique ability to determine unspoken intent by virtue of his training?” Perhaps an impossible question to answer if police can be trained to read minds and intent just by reading confused body language. Perhaps the same body language Che Taylor related in trying to comply with numerous conflicting police orders of “Get on the ground” and “Raise your hands!” before being shot.

A Mural inside King County Courthouse, Seattle which seems very relevant right now.

Cell Phones or No Cell Phones in Court?

On a side note, Steve Miletich of the Seattle Times would request a motion for the record for a tailored order allowing cell phone use for messaging and other non-disruptive action in the courtroom during session which would also allow journalists to effectively do their job and to follow procedures used by other courts.
This request may have been prompted by a city official who was caught using their phone during the court session and two women who took photos before the court session began (one with media) and were told their cell phones may be confiscated although a male photographer with a large telephoto lens who was admittedly noticed was allowed to take photos and not addressed.
Judge Garrow would cite concerns for live streaming video and an inability to discern who were journalists in the court but said she would consider Miletich’s motion.

The inquest for the Che Taylor shooting will continue this week at the King County Courthouse, Rm E955. 516 Third Ave.
A public over flow room is set up nearby for viewing the proceedings.

The Charlette Report is written by Charlette LeFevre who can be reached at seattlecharlette@gmail.com for corrections.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.